


Iron

by ratonnhhaketon



Category: Assassin's Creed, Assassin's Creed III - Fandom, Video Games - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, American Revolution, Assassins vs Templars Conflict, F/M, Homestead Squad, Romance, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-12
Updated: 2018-04-09
Packaged: 2018-04-19 12:41:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 21,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4746818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ratonnhhaketon/pseuds/ratonnhhaketon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Connor Kenway never imagined he'd get a happy ending. He was an assassin fighting a war. A war not only for his people, but for the colonists and Assassin Order. His life is full of loss and grief. Why would he deserve to he happy?</p>
<p>Eleanor Price changes that. She shows him how to love, how to be happy, all while fighting for what you believe in. She shows him that even assassins can have happy endings.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Introductions - March 18, 1770

**Author's Note:**

> Special shoutout to my girl Esme, thechosenone305, for helping me write this and giving me such good ideas.

The woods brought back memories of familiarity. Ages ago, when she was a younger child, growing up to the tiny community of the Homestead.

Eleanor felt a small smile on her face, enjoying the cool breeze against her cheeks. It was a change from the bustling city of Boston. No more crowds and shops that adorned the sides of the streets, almost bursting at the seams. No more annoying children crowding around her and laughing, whatever their motive might be.

Instead, it was nothing but the sounds of the distant creek and horses on soil as the merchants made their routes. To any other traveler, it would have felt and looked lonely, but Eleanor knew different. It was home. It was so different, and she loved it.

She made her way to the large door of the Davenport manor and knocked twice.

The familiar smell of old burned wood from the chimney made the smile widen. God, this brought back memories. Good memories.

“Good morning, Achilles!” Eleanor greeted cheerfully as she entered the manor.

“Ah, Eleanor,” the aged owner greeted. “About time you visited.”

Of course, his bitter tone. That also brought back memories as well.

Despite the sourness, Eleanor knew that there was some fondness behind the sentiment. Then again, this being Achilles, that fondness was very very hidden.

“Well, you know your manners. Serve us the tea.”

It had been their main thing in common, their fondness for tea. Ellie made her way to the kitchen to begin boiling the pot of water. “The house looks better from the last time I was here, but not by much.” Her and Achilles always gave each other sarcastic comments. Neither one of them were bothered by it.

"Connor won’t stop going on about it,” Achilles muttered under his breath.

“Oh, and Achilles, my mother told me to give you this,” she handed the aging man a letter sealed with a wax stamp.

“Ah, I see today is a special day for you.” Achilles noted, extending his hand out to take the document. Ellie was adorned him a set of lilac and blue robes, the ones he recognized to belong to her mother. She must have finally been inducted into the order. His eyes scanned over the paper and he sighed. A small, “I see,” escaped his lips before he stood. “It seems, your mother wishes for me to continue your training.”

Eleanor’s eyes widened. She loved visiting him, but that would mean she would have to leave her mother. Without her father around anymore, she was all her mom had. It pained her to think of leaving her.

Seeing her expression, Achilles asked “What's that look for? Did you not know?”

“My mother never told me she was planning to do this. I love spending time with you, Achilles, you know that. But my mother, she needs my help. I can’t l leave her when she is getting so sick and weak.”

“Your mother always wanted what was best for you. We both know she's too weak to continue, and with since I have a new student myself-" Achilles was cut off by the door to the manor being thrown open and closed loudly. "Speaking of which," he exited the kitchen to greet the stranger in the hallway.

Eleanor was confused. Since when did Achilles take on students. Did he even take students? Too many questions were flowing through her head at once. She brought in the tray of tea to the dining room and rested them on the table.

"Three weeks and not even a goodbye before you left!" Achilles voice rang through the hall. He sounded scolding, offended, but still with that same hidden care that he had for Eleanor. The elder man worked his way to where she stood, and was followed closely by a young, tall, unfamiliar face. "Well, might as well get to the introductions. Connor, this is Eleanor. She'll be joining you to finish your training."

Ellie felt a sudden rush of shyness as she mumbled a small "hello," at the strange boy before her. She sipped from her small cup and let her eyes wander around the room. The uneasiness in the atmosphere was so thick you could almost cut it.

Connor looked at her with concentrated eyes, nodding in greeting.

"You have a voice, boy, use it." Achilles cut in with an annoyed tone.

It was a small detail, but Eleanor saw the side glance of slight annoyance Connor shot at the old man. He turned to Eleanor. "It is a pleasure to meet you," he said with formality in his tone, each word enunciated with careful thought.

"Pleasure as well."

"Well Connor," Achilles started, breaking the uncomfortable silence. "Today is a special day for you." He started walking towards the stairs and pulled on the candle attached to the wall. The outline of a door slowly came into view and Ellie was shocked. She returned her cup to the table and followed the newly met boy down the steps.

At the bottom of the steps was a room that she had never set eyes on before. It was dedicated to training for the assassins. This must be why it was kept a secret. Achilles never wanted to talk about his past life with the assassins.

The elderly man approached the stand in the middle of the room. It was covered by a set of beautiful blue and tan robes. "Connor, put them on." He directed the boy to the outfit before him.

Ellie cleared her throat uncomfortably and Achilles chuckled. "Of course, we will be upstairs. Come find us when you are finished."

 

* * *

 

 

A few minutes later Connor wandered upstairs to find the pair indulged in conversation. Eleanor looked over at her acquaintance and her eyes widened. The robes hugged his muscles incredibly nicely and the tan deer hide complimented his tan skin even more.

"Once upon a time we used to have a ceremony for such events." Achilles broke through the silence. "But I don't think any of us are really the type for that." He placed a firm hand on the young man's shoulder and made eye contact. "Welcome to the brotherhood, Connor."


	2. Lessons - June 22, 1770

The sun was slowly rising over the homestead. Birds sang quietly as the Earth began to slowly awaken. Connor and Eleanor were in the basement of the manor talking quietly. Ellie sat on a stool sharpening her throwing knives as her fellow assassin paced around the room. She wasn’t fully paying attention to what he was saying, but she enjoyed listening to his voice.

“Connor,” she cut in. He stopped dead in his tracks and turned to look at her. “You seem stressed. Is there anything we can do to take your mind off off things?” He paused for a minute and began to think. After a while she added quietly, "I've always wanted to learn how to use a bow."

He slowly looked towards her. "I can teach you, if you would like." His hand reached up to scratch the back of his neck nervously. "Only if you wanted to. We do not have to..." Connor's voice trailed off.

"I would enjoy that, a lot." A bright blush crept up onto her cheeks and she barely noticed a similar one on Connor's face.

 

* * *

 

“You need to be relaxed." Connor rested a gentle hand on Eleanor's shoulder and she instantly eased up. She raised the bow to be eye level and drew back the arrow. A small exhale escapes her lips as she lined up the shot. The assassin behind her watches intensively. In one swift move, the arrow cascaded out of her hand and off into the woods. When there was no whimper from a punctured animal Eleanor knew she had messed up.

"Dammit," she cursed under her breath. She started to hand the bow back to Connor. "I'm sorry, I can't do this. I know I said I would try, but I really can't do this." His calloused, delicate fingers froze her hand in place.

"Eleanor," his light tone made her eyes flutter upwards to meet his brown ones. "I know you can do this. You can not learn to do something in just one day. This will take time, but I am willing to teach you."

A slight blush crept up onto Ellie's cheeks as she mumbled a small, "thank you." Connor positioned their hands together and guided her along.

Within a few short hours, she had already killed a few rabbits and nearly got a raccoon. Ellie would admit that hunting was not her strongest suit, but she did feel as though she was somewhat good at it with Connor’s help. She seemed to be more skilled at using snares rather than a bow. However, she still preferred her knives. “You are becoming good at this.” The assassin said as they walked back to the manor. The woods were filled with small sounds of nature mixed with the crunching of twigs and leaves under their shoes.

Eleanor looked down at her feet and smiled. "Thank you, Connor. You are a great teacher." They continued walking for a while until Ellie stopped abruptly. She noticed that Connor still seemed to feel a little off and decided to lighten the mood a bit. "I'll race you to the top of that rock!" She blurted out before taking off.

"Eleanor, be careful!" Connor could barely get the words out before she began jumping between the trees. Suddenly, she lost her footing and slipped from the branch. "ELLIE!" The native boy yelled as he bolted off towards her. He was too slow to catch her and she landed on a large rock. Her leg was clearly broken in at least more than one place.

Eleanor's eyes were welling up with tears but she refused to let them out. She was holding in a scream that burned in her throat but she stopped herself from yelling. She didn't want Connor to be even more worried than he clearly was. Delicately, she held her hands around her leg. "Connor..." she whispered as he knelled down to her.

"It is alright. I am going to have to carry you back to the manor. Achilles will be able to fix your leg." His voice was sweet and soothing, like honey for a sore throat. All she could do was nod in reply. Connor slipped his hands under her knees and back and lifted her bridal style. Ellie bit her lip as hard as she could to hold back her cries of agony. He ran her back as quickly as he could without causing her pain.

"Achilles!" The assassin yelled as he barged into the manor.

The old man was in the dining area reading a newspaper. "What's the matter boy?" he said with his usual annoyed tone.

Connor set Eleanor down on the table gently. "She fell from a tree and hurt her leg. I think it is broken." Achilles began lightly examining the limb to see how serious the injury is. It took all of her strength for Ellie to not scream out in pain the whole time.

Achilles stepped back from the table and sighed. "You definitely broke it, but you are lucky it's not as serious as it could be. Connor, I'm going to need you to go into the kitchen and fetch me the wooden box under the counter." The native boy set off immediately to grab the requested items.

He returned shortly with an old, wooden box that looked like it had its fair share of use. Achilles pulled the latch open and rummaged around for a moment. Eventually he pulled out a bottle of whiskey and some cloth. He pulled off the cork and handed it to the girl. She sniffed the top of it and her hand immediately flew up to her nose. "That smells horrible!"

"Take a drink of it. It will numb the pain." Ellie stared at him confusedly with her mouth slightly open. "Unless you want to be yelling for the next 10 minutes while I set that back into place." She stared at the bottle for a few seconds before throwing her head back and taking a long sip.

"Ugh, good god that taste horrible." she says disgustingly as she handed the bottle back to Achilles. It took a few minutes before she started to feel the alcohol effect her. Achilles immediately got to work wrapping up her leg.

A little while later Achilles was finished wrapping up her leg with a piece a cloth and two small wooden planks on either side. "Don't walk on that leg for a while. You should let that heal for as long as it needs to before trying to do that again." Connor helped her down from the table and led her upstairs into her room.

"If there is anything that Achilles or I can get for you, please ask."

 


	3. Nightmares - August 6, 1770

_Fire was everywhere. It charred every bit of wood it could find and dragged structures to the ground. People around him were frantic. They were rushing around, trying to save as many survivors as possible. But they couldn't get to the one that mattered most to him. He had to do it himself._

_"You must be strong, Ratonhnhaké:ton. You must be brave." Ziio's words echoed_ _in his mind._

_"Stop it, stop it!" He could get her out of this, he knew he could._

_"You think yourself alone, but know that I will be at your side. Always and forever."_

_"NO! STOP! LET ME GO! LET ME SAVE HER!"  The image of his mother's face was burned into his memory. He could never forget it no matter how hard he tried._

* * *

 

Connor awoke with a jolt. He was breathing fast and heavy, his chest rapidly moving with each breath. Sweat was rolling down his forehead and into his eyes. A shaky hand of his used the corner of the thin shirt hugging his body to wipe it away. This was not the first time he had encountered that nightmare. He thought he would be used to it by now. But, each time he could never seem to shake that picture of his mother as she said her last words to him. He was so young. If they had only stayed closer to the village like the elders told them.

"Connor? Are you alright?" A gentle voice called from the doorway. He recognized it to be the familiar voice of his fellow, female assassin.

The native's head snapped up to the source of the noise. "Y-yes, I am... fine." He struggled to say between breaths. "Why are you awake?"

"I couldn't sleep. When I heard you rustling around in here I thought I should check on you." Eleanor noticed a slight blush creep up onto Connor's cheeks. "So, um.." she cleared her throat, "I can tell something is troubling you. If you don't want to talk about it, I completely understand. But, I think I have an idea for something we could do to get your mind off of it." She extended out her hand and Connor hesitantly took it. He pushed himself off of the bed and rose slowly. Ellie led him out onto the balcony of the manor. It was a warm summer night, and the moon was high in its blanket of midnight-blue sprinkled with specks of white.

"It is lovely out here." Connor mumbled. His voice was low and soft and almost inaudible.

"I come out here almost every night to think. It calms me down." Ellie's tone matched that of her fellow assassin.

They stood by the railing for a few minutes just admiring the natural sights and sounds around them. "Wait here for a minute," Connor said abruptly. He slipped into the house and was as quiet as he could be. Eleanor sat down on the wooden floor and returned to her task of admiring all the stars in the sky above. The native returned shortly with an abundance of pillows and blankets. He tossed them down on the floor and sat with her. Ellie put the pillows in a comfortable spot and wrapped a blanket around herself. The two laid back next to each other and stared up at the sky above them.

"Oh look," she pointed upwards into the see of blue. Do you see that shape right there? The one that kind of looks like an eagle?" It took Connor a moment to figure out exactly what she meant, but he nodded in agreement. "That is my favorite constellation. It's name is Aquila." She looked over to the figure on her right. He seemed intrigued by what she had to say.

"Aquila, like the name of Mr. Faulkner's ship?" Ellie nodded at him.

"The cool thing is, the name of the brightest star in Aquila is Altair." She smiled to herself. "My mom told my that when I was young. That is actually what led to the conversation about joining the assassins." The thought of her mother brought tears to her eyes. She missed being with her every day, but she did enjoy living with Connor and Achilles. "Well, anyway," she snapped back to reality. "Aquila means eagle in Latin. Altair is bird in Greek and flying eagle in Arabic, so it fits the constellation." By this point she was just rambling to herself. In all honesty, Connor didn't mind. It felt nice to have his mind taken off of the world around him and just focus on the two of them. Her voice was soothing to him. Her tone was passionate but gentle. He could tell she loved to talk about the stars and constellations. It always made him happy listening to someone talk about something they enjoy. They get this certain look in their eyes and enunciate every syllable with this unmistakable sense of passion. He can't help but feel happy for them. "The constellation above Aquila is called Cygnus. Its brightest star is Deneb."

Connor turned his head to look at her completely. "If you do not mind me asking, how do you know so much about the stars?"

"It was my mom. She loved learning about them, so she told me everything she knew when I was young. She even taught me how to use them to navigate, which comes in handy out in the wild. But since she influenced me so much, I started learning as much as I possibly could about them. Sometimes I would tell her things that she didn't know. She used to call me her 'little dipper,' after the name of the first constellation she pointed out to me." A single tear rolled down Ellie's cheek as she smiled. She hadn't been able to visit her mother for several months because of her leg, and since she was finally feeling better, she would have to go tomorrow.

Connor noticed her crying and became concerned. "I am sorry if I made you upset. I understand if it it is a delicate topic for you to talk about."

Ellie sat up immediately and wiped her eyes. "No, Connor, its fine. I promise." She laughed a little and looked up towards the sky. "Its just, I haven't been able to see her in months because of my injury. I miss her so much sometimes."

"I understand what you mean."

The two of them laid back down on the mountain of blankets and pillows and stayed silent for a while. Eventually Connor spoke up, "thank you for bringing me out here. It is lovely and helped me take me mind off of that nightmare. I appreciate you helping me."

Ellie turned to her right and smiled at the man beside her. "Of course Connor. I know how terrible nightmares are. My mom would do the same thing for me when I was younger and it helped me beyond belief."

"Maybe, if you would like to, you could teach me some of the things you know? Like how to use the stars when traveling?"

"I'd like that, Connor."


	4. Grief - May 11, 1771

The homestead was quiet. High in the sky the sun rested and beat down on the Earth beneath it. Local residents were going about their daily lives. As per usual, Connor was outside giving his aid to any of the civilians that required it.

Eleanor rode through the main path towards the frontier. The occasional bystander would say hello, to which she would greet in reply. She found her fellow assassin by Prudence's farm and decided to stop for a few moments. Her horse was left by the house as she walked to greet the native. "Good morning Connor, good morning Prudence." They returned the polite gesture with matching smiles. "Connor, I will be back later. I am going to Boston to visit my mother."

"Alright, I shall let Achilles know." They all said their goodbyes and Eleanor galloped away on her horse.

* * *

She arrived at her mother's small house on the outskirts of Boston only a few hours later. It's a small cottage surrounded by the neighboring fields owned by farmers. The house might not be much, but it was enough for one small, elderly lady. Eleanor's older sister also lived with their mother and made sure she was well taken care of.

When both girls where of the appropriate age to begin training, they were both given the chance to decide if they wanted to join the brotherhood. Margaret may have declined the opportunity, but she helps the assassins by giving them information.

Margaret greeted her at the door with sad eyes. "Eleanor, its good to see you. Mother isn't doing very well. She is upstairs if you wish to see her." The assassin nodded at her sister and made her way up the small staircase.

"Hello mother," Ellie greeted with an uneven tone. Her voice was shaky and she was trying to be strong. The elderly woman was lying in a small bed covered by various knitted blankets.

"Ellie," her voice was weak and raw, like she hadn't been using it for weeks. "It has been so long." Eleanor gripped one of her wrinkled and bony hands. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes but she blinked them back as best as she could. Seeing her mother in a such a fragile and ill state made her heart heavy. Especially when there was nothing she could do to help her. 

"I know, and I am so sorry. I tried to visit as often as I could. But I'm here now, and that is all that matters. I have missed you so much."

"Darling, there is something I need you to know. There is too much for me to tell it all to you now. I wrote it all in that letter." Her eyes shifted to the small table to the side of her bed. Eleanor got the hint that she was too weak to move and picked up the small envelope. "Read it when you are ready. You will not like the truth it uncovers after you finish." The elderly woman's voice was becoming softer. Eleanor could see the life draining from her eyes

"Mother, mother please don't do this! Stay with me, I need you!" Tears were starting to stream down the young girl's face uncontrollably. Her grip became tighter on the thin hand that was becoming cold. 

"I am so proud of you, Ellie. Continue to make me proud, just as I know you will..." Her voice trailed off at the end as death engulfed her body. She was limp and lifeless.

Ellie reached over to her face and shakily closed her eyes. "Rest in peace, mother. May you find happiness in the afterlife with father." Eleanor immediately felt broken. The closest member of her family was gone and there was nothing she could do about it. The only good thing was that her mother had a peaceful passing and was able to spend it with her daughter. She placed the cold hand on top of the other one and made it seem like she was sleeping. Thinking that her mother was taking a rest was a much better thought than her being dead.

A voice from the doorway caused Ellie to turn around. "We.. can bury her tomorrow. I know of a pastor who could provide a service." Margaret was fiddling with a rag and refused to look at anything but her hands.

Eleanor nodded slowly at the thought. "Yes, yes I would like that. Tomorrow at noon." She excused herself from the room and left the house. Her emotions where scattered everywhere and she needed to get away from it all. The assassin mounted her chestnut horse that was waiting outside and rode off.

She didn't know where she was going, but eventually she ended up at a dock in the Boston Harbor. Ellie left her horse by an inn and sat down on the water's edge. Her knees were pressed closely to her chest with her arms wrapped around them. Suddenly she began to sob. She care how loud she was or who saw. Right now all she wanted and needed to do was cry and let all her emotions out. And that is exactly what she did. Sobs racked her body until she had nothing left in her. Her eyes were bloodshot and puffy, and her rosy cheeks where tear-stained. The dock was still and silent except for her occasional sniffling.

Connor saw Ellie sitting on the dock in front of him. He approached her shaking and fragile figure slowly. Eleanor was never one to run away from her problems, and Connor had never seen her cry before. She was sometimes better at hiding her emotions than he was.

"Connor," she let out a shaky breath. "I know you're behind me." Her fellow assassin immediately stiffened. Was she going to be mad at him for being here? Would she scream at him? Numerous questions were swarming his head at the moment. She looked over her shoulder at him and his face fell. In the few months they had known each other, Connor had learned one thing about Eleanor; she was never one to run from her problems. She would persevere through the issue until she overcame it.

"Are you alright?" His tone was gentle and cautious. He started to walk towards her again.

Eleanor let out a shaky sigh. "N-no. No I'm not." She could feel tears start to well up in her eyes again. Connor sat down on the ledge next her. 

"What has happened? If you do not want to tell me, I understand, but it will not keep me from worrying about you." His palm was lightly resting against her lower back.

She swallowed hard. "My mother. When I visited her today, she was incredibly sick. I was with her during her... final moments..." Eleanor's voice trailed off at the end as tears began to cascade down her cheeks. Connor opened his arms and mumbled a small "come here" towards her. She hooked her arms around his torso without hesitation. Instantly she felt better. His embrace brought a sense of protection to her, like everything bad in the world would disappear as long as she was in his arms.

Eleanor cried some, but not as much as she had before. She rested her head against the assassin's chest as she stared out into the water. His heart beat was steady and calming to her. She leaned back slightly to look at his face. She had never noticed how tiny she was compared to Connor. Even though Ellie was normally considered tall, she was surprisingly short compared to the native. Her head tucked perfectly into the crook of Connor's neck, and her small figure was the perfect contrast to his large one.

"Connor," she said with a grainy voice. "How did you get over your mother's death?" She didn't know if she had brought up a sensitive topic, so she stared at him cautiously.

He swallowed hard at her question. "It took time. Mourning is not something that happens overnight. You will be hurting for a while." His tone was sincere, but Ellie could tell there was something he was hiding. She looked up at his big brown eyes and saw something- the truth. The terror was still there. It was the same terror that she saw on his face when he had a nightmare.

She sat up and cupped her hands around his face. "Connor, its okay to not be over it. Having someone die is never easy, especially when you were so young. I'm sorry I asked, I didn't know." This time it was his turn to bury his face into her neck. He did not cry, but Ellie could tell he wanted someone to grasp onto. She wrapped her arms around his neck and busied herself by playing with a strand of his hair.

Her counterpart pulled away just enough to look down at her gentle face. "Eleanor, I promise to always be there for you. I will protect you to the best of ability. You have my word."

Both of them were close to crying at this point. Ellie smiled at the native and tightly wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you Connor, I appreciate that."


	5. Firsts - November 6, 1773

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drunk friend said she wanted the squad to write fluff, so here is my contribution. Plus it has been a while since I've written my two nerds.

Sunlight illuminated the bustling homestead as Eleanor rode through the small settlement. The sounds of birds chirping and soft hooves crunching on the ground filled the air around her. She rode up to the manor and left her horse by the stables before continuing to the house. She noticed how her fellow assassin seemed tensed and tried to console him. “Connor? Where are you going, are you alright?”

“I need to get to Boston and find Samuel Adams.” His face was full of determination. His normally caring eyes were hooded and his jaw was tensed.

Eleanor rested a light hand on his shoulder and he stopped dead in his tracks. “Connor, tell me what has happened.”

He let out a heavy sigh and turned to look at her. “William Johnson is trying to buy the land in which my village stands. I must seek out Mister Adams in Boston for help.”

“Then I am coming with you.”

“Eleanor,” he said with a softer tone. “You just got back from a long trip. I can go alone.”

“Connor, I am coming with you, and you can’t convince me not to.” Before he could respond she was already walking down the road.

He caught up with her a few minutes later. Besides Connor’s slight panting as he slowly caught his breath, there was silence between the two of them as they walked. The taller figure decided to break the silence. “Do you want to take a horse instead of walking? We are going to be going far.”

Eleanor looked over her shoulder at him. “I’m fine, I don’t mind walking. In fact, I actually find it relaxing.”

They kept a steady pace for a short while as they walked through the heavily forested area. Over time, the taller assassin seemed to become more impatient, and the incoming rain did not seem to help his mood. "I still do not see why we had to walk. It would have been faster to take a horse." Connor adjusted his hood so it shielded his eyes from the incoming precipitation.

"I told you I love walking through the woods. It reminds me of when I was younger. It's peaceful to me." The smaller woman had her hood down and was walking with a smile plastered over her face. She looked over her shoulder at the assassin to her left and chuckled a light laugh. "Come on, grumpy, it's just rain."

Suddenly a loud clap of thunder boomed above them. "Just rain!" Connor groaned. "It is about to storm! We need to get to Boston and find shelter." He was about to call for a horse when a soft hand interlaced with his own. His face immediately turned a dark amber color that was hidden behind the thick fabric of his hood. His eyes watched the young woman before him closely.

"Connor, come on. Let's take a break for five minutes. Then, we can call a horse for the rest of the way." Before he could find the words to respond, she had pulled him off into a clearing on the side of the path. It was raining heavily now and every few minutes the sky would light up from quick flashes. He noticed how her hair was soaked and some pieces were sticking to her face that was glistening with water droplets. He had to admit, she looked as beautiful as ever.  Connor always felt like he had _some_ feelings towards Eleanor, but he was never quite sure about them until now. Right now she was in her most beautiful, natural state with all her features extenuated and shining under the dim light. He slid his wet hood off to watch her as she danced in the rain before him.

After a minute she noticed him staring and pulled him by the arms to join her. He was hesitant at first but agreed regardless. She took his hand and used it to spin herself around under the shower of rain. Connor watched her gracefully dance before him in the rain. He could not get over just how beautiful he looked to him. Eleanor noticed him staring at her and grabbed him by the hand, pulling his taller figure towards her smaller one. Their hot breaths mixed together as their bodies pressed against each others.

Connor’s heart began pounding in his chest and he was almost positive she could hear it. Eleanor licked her lips lightly as their gazes met. She inched closer, until their hot breaths flushed against each others faces. Hesitantly he brought a soft, calloused hand up to her cheek and she closed her eyes. There was barely enough space for a hair between them. Connor mustered up all the courage in him and closed the space by pressing his soft lips to hers. Eleanor’s stomach erupted with butterflies and her heart fluttered. Connor’s other hand moved to her back and rested along the curve of her spine, barely touching her robes. Her hand made its way to his brown hair and intertwined with the soaking wet locks. Eleanor opened her mouth slightly for Connor to deepen the kiss and he did just that.

They stayed that way for a few moment until they separated for air. Each assassin had a matching shade of deep red cover their faces. "Eleanor, that was..." Connor panted. "That was wonderful."

"Yes, it definitely was. And Connor, you can call me Ellie." She replied with a wide grin.

"Ellie," he repeated with a breathy voice. "That is a beautiful name." She looked down at the ground as her cheeks flared. "It seems to have stopped raining," Connor spoke up, causing Ellie to look at the sky above them. Night had fallen upon them and they were lit by the soft moonlight.

"Connor," she interrupted. "You never told me what your real name was. I- I just thought that maybe I should learn it since you know mine..." She awkwardly scratched at the back of her neck as she avoided his direct gaze.

"Ratonhnhaké:ton," he said effortlessly.

Ellie thought about it for a minute before trying it out herself. "Raton...hnhaké:ton. Ratonhnhaké:ton." She stumbled the first time, but got it correct after a few attempts. Soon it began to roll off of her tongue with ease. 

After a few minutes of the two standing in silence and enjoying each others company had passed, Ellie cleared her throat. "Maybe we should continue on to Boston. So we can get into some dry clothes, and you can find Sam Adams. And I wouldn't mind calling a horse if you preferred."

"That is fine, I do not mind walking the rest of the way."


	6. Animals - November 7, 1773

The two assassins arrived in Boston around day break. They stopped at a merchant’s stand to purchase a small breakfast of fruit and bread before meeting with Samuel Adams at the harbor. As they walked, Ellie noticed a small dog begging people for food. They ignored the animal’s attempts at being fed, and the assassin felt her heart break. She watched as people shoved and kicked the creature while all it wanted was small scraps of food. People seemed to be throwing them out anyway and she felt disgusted. She knelt down and whistled, getting the furry animal’s attention immediately. Her hands patted her knees to signal the puppy to come over to her. He scampered over to her happily.

“Hi buddy, where’s your owner?” She inspected the animal for any sort of identification. The puppy just stared at her as it cheerfully panted away. Ellie grabbed a piece of cooked rabbit meat that she had in her pocket and gave it to the puppy. “Here you go boy, since no one else is feeding you.”

Connor walked over to his fellow assassin and squatted next to her. “Who is this?” He smiled, petting the dog’s soft head.

“I don’t know. He doesn’t seem to have an owner, and no one else is feeding him.” She looked closer at the dog. His ribs were exposed, his tail was droopy, and his limbs were thin. He looked sickly but somehow seemed happy. “What do you think, Connor? Should we take him back to the Homestead with us? It looks like we are the only ones that feed or take care of him.”

Connor thought the situation over for a few minutes. “He would be a wonderful edition to the community. But I do not think Achilles would be happy with us.”

“Achilles could use something to keep him company and make him happy. A dog would be a great thing to have, and after he is healthier, you may be able to bring him with you to hunt.”

The dog rolled over onto his back and earned a rub on his stomach from Connor. “Okay, we will take him home with us. He won’t be able to travel with us if we go home by horse, so we will have to sail back. Mr. Faulkner should be here by mid day to pick up supplies for the Aquila.”

Ellie fed the dog another piece of cooked rabbit meat. “Go on ahead and speak to Sam Adams. I will wait for Faulkner and meet with you later at home.”

* * *

The Aquila docked at the Homestead around nightfall. Ellie carried the small dog up to the manor. She was worried about letting the animal walk long distances in his current health state, but in a few days he should have some muscle to him. “Achilles, I’m home!” Ellie called from the doorway.

The old man emerged from the kitchen holding a small teacup and saucer. “Where is Connor? I thought he left with you?”

“He is still in Boston. I left because I wanted to bring this little guy home.” She set the small dog down on the floor and he scampered over to Achilles. He rubbed against the man’s legs as he begged to be shown affection. “I know you are probably upset because the last thing you wanted in the house was an animal and-”

She was cut off by a low chuckle from the old man. “I do not mind his presence in the house. As long as I am not held responsible for caring for him it is fine with me.”

“He should be healthy enough to go on missions with Connor and I soon, so I assure you he will not bother you.”

“Have you decided on a name yet?” Achilles said with a smile as he bend over slightly to scratch the dog’s head.

“No, I was waiting for Connor to help me. I thought that if it was our dog he should have a say in his name.”

“Knowing that boy he will probably name it something in his native language. Make sure he picks something you are able to pronounce.”

Later that night Connor arrived home. He found Ellie sitting in her room reading a book with the dog curled up by her feet. He smiled when he saw the peaceful sight before clearing his throat. Ellie and the puppy looked up to greet the assassin at the same time. He looked tired, his robes already taken off and his dirtied white shirt hanging loosely around his shoulders. She closed the book and set it on the nightstand next to her. “Come here,” she patted the bed next to her. “I wanted to talk to you about something.”

Connor pushed himself off of the doorframe and walked over to the bed. The puppy wagged his tail happily when the bed sank down a little. “What did you want to discuss?” Connor said.

“It occurred to me earlier that we never gave this little guy a name. I thought that since he is our pet we should both get a say in naming him.”

Connor pulled the dog onto his lap. The animal’s soft brown eyes stared up at him, showing a sense of love and trust. “Okwaho seems fitting for him. Do you like that name?” The puppy replied with a happy bark.

Ellie stiffed a laugh. “I’ll take that as a yes. What does okwaho mean?”

“It means wolf in my native language.”

“Well he certainly approves of his new name.” Okwaho laid his head on Connor’s head and slowly closed his eyes. The assassin adjusted himself slightly on the bed so that he was lying down. Ellie went back to reading her book for a few minutes.

After a while she started to hear light snoring from the right side of the bed. She looked over her shoulder and saw Connor and Okwaho cuddled up together, fast asleep. A smile spread across her face at the cute sight before her. She bookmarked the page she was on and set the book down softly on the nightstand. Ellie laid a kiss on Connor’s forehead before getting into bed herself.


	7. Snow - December 2, 1773

Sunlight seeped through the thin curtains and cast a faint, light green tint over Ellie’s bedroom. She opened her eyes slowly, stretching out her arms as a yawn escaped her lips. She slowly rose out of bed and shuffled across the room to the window. Her hands pulled back the curtains so she could look out into the scenic homestead. What she saw filled her with joy; a crisp, white blanket of fresh snow covered everything in sight. Ellie immediately whipped around and rushed out of her room. Her cold feet slapped against the wooden floor and she slid the last few inches to Connor’s bedroom. The skin let out a small screech from the friction on the floor. The door was slightly ajar and she could see the faint outline of his toned back from where she stood. She carefully pushed the door open and walked over to his bed. Okwaho lifted his head as she approached him.

“Connor,” she said. He replied with a light snore. Ellie brushed a strand of hair away from his face and placed a soft kiss on his cheek. She decided to try out his native name for once. “Ratonhnhaké:ton, wake up.” He finally rolled over and onto his back. Once his eyes opened and adjusted to the bright morning light a grin spread across his face. “Good morning sleepy head.”

Connor’s voice was deep and raw from just waking up. “Good morning to you, owira.”

He barely had time to realize what he said before Ellie noticed. “Wait, what did you just say?” Her voice was confused and shocked. That ever-so-familiar deep red blush crept up the native’s neck. He hadn’t been this embarrassed while talking to her since they shared a kiss for the first time. That had been barely a month ago, but they both seemed to grow incredibly comfortable around each other. Both of the two were guilty of often falling asleep in each other’s beds together. Although one of them would end up leaving for their own room before the morning.

Connor cleared his throat and sat up. “Oh, um.. it was nothing.” Ellie brushed it off to make Connor relax, but she kept that word in the back of her mind. She replayed the way he pronounced it in her head over and over. His smooth voice deeper than usual, effortlessly announcing the word that was clearly in Mohawk so beautifully. She could listen to him talk for hours, regardless of her ability to understand what he was saying.

“Well it's snowing outside. I thought that, since Okwaho is finally healthy enough to venture with us, today would be a great day for him to go out and play.” The dog’s ears perked up at the mention of his name. “Even if you say no I’m going out there. So I’m really just asking if you want to come with me or not.”

Connor stretched, his bare arms flexing under his sun-kissed skin. “If you plan on being out there for a while you should eat something. There should be some deer left from last night.”

“Well get up, because we have nothing to do today and I’m in the mood to spend time with you.”

He let out a long yawn and ran a hand through his messy hair. “Go downstairs and feed Okwaho. I will join you two soon.” Ellie called to the dog and he followed her out of the room.

Connor met them later in the dining room a short while later. He was dressed in his usual assassin attire while Ellie was bundled up. She had a light cream knit scarf and a pair of matching gloves thrown over top of her robes. She was amazed at how Connor was so used to the cold even though they had both grown up in the same weather conditions. She may have loved the snow since she was a young girl but she couldn’t stand the cold. Connor seemed to be comfortable in any weather, whether it be rain, snow, sun, etc.

Okwaho was gobbling up something in his bowl and Ellie was waiting for Connor before she ate. There were two plates of cooked deer meat and vegetables sitting on the table next to each other. “Achilles was eating when I got down here. He wanted me to tell you that tomorrow he wants you to go over something in the lumber stocks with you. But sit down, I made a plate for you.” She gestured to the place set to her right. Connor pulled out the chair and flipped it around, sitting in his normal backwards fashion.

They ate in mostly silence, occasional light conversation being made when Okwaho would disturb them for some of their food. After they finished Connor kindly offered to clean the plates while Ellie slipped on her boots and made sure the dog was ready to go. As soon as everyone was ready she nearly ran out into the back of the house. Right as Connor closed the door behind him a giant white snowball flew past his face and hit the wall next to his face. He quickly whipped around to look at the source of the snowball. There stood Ellie with another snowball ready in her hand. “Watch this; Okwaho!” she called. The dog looked up at her and let out a happy bark. She tossed the snowball towards the animal and he caught it mid air.

They played catch with Okwaho for almost an hour. Eventually Connor decided to call it quits and head back inside. Ellie didn’t object. Her nose was frozen and her hands were stuck in a cramped up position. Connor lit the fireplace while Ellie was downstairs making them some warm drinks.

She came back up to see Connor and Okwaho curled up together by the fire. “I see someone stole my spot.” She laughed as she handed the native his mug. He gladly accepted it and extended his arm out to her. She wrapped half of the blanket around her shoulders and settled into Connor’s side. Even though they had been inside for only a few minutes he felt like a furnace. She, on the other hand, felt as cold as ice. Her scarf was still tightly wrapped around her neck and she put on another pair of socks to warm her feet.

“You look adorable when you are bundled up.” Connor said with a smile.

Ellie’s cheeks flared as she looked down at her mug. “I have all these layers on me and I still can barely feel my face.” Connor noticed how her nose was cherry red. He used a gentle hand to tip her chin up so their eyes locked. He leaned in slowly, hot breath fanning across her face. Ellie mimicked his actions. Their lips were inches apart from each other. Right as they were about to kiss Okwaho jumped up, causing Connor to almost spill his drink. They parted quickly and Ellie began to laugh. “Someone’s jealous,” she said to the dog. Okwaho whined at her and laid down on the floor in front of them. Ellie relaxed against Connor again and he rubbed small circles into her lower back. They stayed like that for the rest of the night, enjoying each other’s company.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Owira means baby in Mohawk.


	8. Sickness - December 3, 1773

The following morning the two assassins woke up entangled in each other’s arms. Ellie was curled up against Connor’s side under the blanket. His arm was draped protectively over her waist with his head resting against the foot of the bed behind them. Deep snores escaped the native as he slept, but that did not last very long. Okwaho started attacking his face with sloppy kisses, causing the assassin to jolt awake.

He chuckled and happily pet the dog. “Haha, good morning to you.”

Ellie stirred beside him. Her eyelids fluttered open to look up at the man above her. The sight before her caused a small smile to form on her lips. “Good morning,” she whispered. Her voice was hoarse and harsh. She cleared her throat but it didn’t seem to help.

Connor leaned down and pressed a soft, quick kiss to her forehead. “Elle, I think you have a fever. Do you feel okay?” He said with worry strung through his voice.

“I.. I don’t think so. My throat hurts re-” She was cut off by a string of coughs taking over her body. Her figure shook violently as the sound echoed about the room. Connor rubbed small circles into her back.

When she finally stopped Ellie looked up at him with sad eyes. He could tell that she felt horrible. Her skin had lost its normal glow and her bright blue eyes seemed dull. “You are sick. I should go get Doctor White.” He was getting up to put on his robes when a gentle hand tugged on his arm.

“Connor, I don’t need the doctor.”

“But you need medicine. At least let him make sure you will be alright. After that I will stay with you.”

“But what about your mission in Boston? With Stephane?”

“It can wait until tomorrow. You need someone to take care of you until you get better.” Ellie couldn’t help the sense of guilt that overwhelmed her. She always felt bad about having people take care of her when she was sick. Not because it made her feel like a child but because someone else would be doing things for her that she would normally be able to do for herself.

“Thank you, Connor.” She shot a weak smile up at the man before her. Connor leaned down to help her get off of the floor and into the bed. He leaned down and pecked her cheek before leaving to get the doctor.

Connor returned with Dr. White a short 20 minutes later. Ellie sat up in bed with a handkerchief in one hand and the other resting on Okwaho’s head. The dog’s ears perked up at the sound of footsteps approaching him. His tail beat against the bed happily when Connor appeared in the doorway. “She is in here,” he gestured toward the door.

“Ah Miss Price. Nice to see you again.” Doctor White’s cheery voice rang out. The older man entered just after the assassin. He was dressed in his usual blue coat and white blouse, with the trim of a green jacket peeking out between the layers. 

Ellie answered with a painful string of coughs. The sudden harsh action burned in the back of her throat. When it subsided she sighed, leaning her head back onto the bed’s cool wooden headboard. “So what seems to be your problems?” Dr. White said as he rummaged through his small bag.

“My throat burns, I can’t stop coughing, and I have a fever.” Ellie managed to say. Her voice was barely above and whisper and drastically deeper than its usual sweet sound. The doctor nodded as she spoke.

“I know how to help this, but I should examine you for any other issues.” As the doctor looked at the assassin Connor disappeared downstairs.

“Ah, Connor, good morning boy. Where is Eleanor?” Achilles said as the native walked into the kitchen. The old man was sitting at the dining table next door while reading a newspaper.

“Ellie is upstairs being checked on by Doctor White. She was sick when she woke up.” Connor was digging through the cabinets until he found the perfect tea cup. It was painted a light blue accented with yellow lilies; Ellie’s favorite tea cup. It was actually her mother’s at first, but she inherited it for her 14th birthday, the day she started drinking tea. Connor filled the cup with the drink Achilles had already prepared and rested in a the matching saucer. He ripped off a piece bread from the loaf and went back upstairs.

“Just as I thought; it is nothing major. Take this,” Dr. White handed Ellie a small glass bottle containing a dark liquid. I was almost the exact color and consistency of mud, which meant it had to taste delightful. She gave him a ‘you can’t be serious’ look and he didn’t even need to look her way to know it. “One spoonful. It will be over quickly.”

The assassin popped off the cork and sniffed the mysterious substance. It smelled horrible and made her want to gag, but she had to take it. Connor wanted her to get better. Dr. White passed her a metal spoon and she slowly poured some of the medicine out. She shut her eyes and shoved the utensil in her mouth, using her tongue to scrape off the residue.

Her free hand shot up to her mouth to stop herself from spitting the medicine out. The wretched taste lingered in her mouth far after she had swallowed and she tried her best to ignore it.

Connor appeared in the doorway just as she was setting the bottle down on the nightstand. He handed her the tea and bread, which she gladly accepted, before sitting down by her feet. She took small sips of the liquid, occasionally stopping to blow on the hot tea. The warm liquid immediately helped to soothe her aching throat. 

“Well, I am done here. Take the medicine once a day for a week and you should feel better.” Dr. White said as he packed up his things. 

“Thank you, doctor,” Ellie managed to say. Doctor White excused himself and left the manor.

Connor moved to sit next to his fellow assassin on the other side of the bed. While she ate he held her close and rubbed small circles into her side. When she was done, Ellie laid against his side and snuggled into his warm body. “You know,” she said quietly. “You’ll probably get sick.”

“I do not mind. You are worth it.” he replied just above a whisper. He pressed a gentle kiss to Ellie’s hair and she couldn’t help but smile. 


	9. Engagement - March 23, 1774

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow it has been absolutely forever since I last updated. I am beyond sorry! I tried to write 3 different ideas for this chapter and scrapped them all. But alas I finally managed to find some motivation and a good idea for this chapter. I promise I will try to update more often.

It was a chilly spring morning in the Homestead. The grass was still damp from the previous night’s light rain shower but the small settlement was bustling regardless. Ellie was in her bedroom in front of the hanging mirror fixing her hair and clothes. Connor stood behind her, tying the ribbons that held up the lower dress attachment of her robes. It was a very convenient addition to her robes that helped her blend into the crowd, but also could be removed with ease if needed.

Connor pulled the bow tight against Ellie’s back causing her to gasp. “Are you alright? Did I tie it too tightly?” The taller man’s worried expression was visible in the mirror, which earned a chuckle from Ellie.

“You’re fine don’t worry. I’m just nervous, I guess.” She exhaled a sigh. “I still cannot believe my sister is going to be getting married soon. I know this is only her engagement party but it is still shocking.” She turned to look at the assassin behind her. “Well, I’m ready. I will see you tonight. Hopefully not too late, but I can’t promise anything. Peggy’s friends are known for going crazy when they drink.”

Connor bent down to place a sweet kiss on her lips. “You look beautiful. I will be here waiting for you.”

“You know you don’t have to do that-”

“I know I do not have to. I want to wait for you.”

A huge grin broke out across Ellie’s face and her cheeks flushed. “You are too sweet.” Connor followed her down the steps to the hallway where Achilles was exiting the study to meet them.

“You look nice, Eleanor. Tell Margaret I said hello and congratulations. It has been far too long since I’ve seen the young woman.”

Ellie gave the old man a hug and a smile before leaving. “I will be back later. Goodbye, and Connor, try not to give Achilles a hard time.

The man chuckled. “You know the boy. That’s impossible for him to do.” A blush creeped up Connor’s neck and he disappeared into the manor before it could be noticed.

Ellie’s carriage arrived at The Green Dragon in Boston some time early afternoon. Peggy and a group of her friends were waiting outside by the door. The assassin ran to greet them as fast as her dress allowed her. “I hope you all haven’t been waiting too long for me.”

Peggy gave her a quick hug. “We all only arrived a few minutes ago.” She looked over everyone in front of her and gave a smile. “Well, let’s go have some fun!” Ellie opened the wooden door and held it while the other 5 girls entered.

Seeing as it was still quite early for drinking, it was fairly easy for the girls to settle on a table towards the back of the mostly-empty tavern. Marie, Peggy’s best friend, suggested the table so they could watch for good-looking men. From Ellie’s experience, you only see two types of people in taverns on a night like this: sleazy drunks and businessmen who were meeting to work out a deal.

The only occupants other than the women and bartender were a few patriot soldiers that Ellie had recognized and a pair of loud men who seemed like they spent most of their days in those same chairs, a tankard in hand at all times.

“Well ladies,” the youngest of the group stood up. “I will go get us some drinks. First round on me.” She earned a small amount of cheers as she walked over to the bar. Ellie cleared her throat and smiled, causing the man behind the counter to stop wiping the wooden surface and look up. “Patrick? Is that you?”

“Eleanor! How have you been?” His rich irish accent rang out. His brown eyes sparkled with happiness at seeing an old friend.

When they were both little their families were extremely close friends. The two often spent time together when their mothers had tea almost every afternoon. Peggy always joked about how Ellie was falling in love and that her and Patrick would end up together later in life. Looking back at it now, the assassin can only see him as a brother figure. Nothing more, nothing less.

“How long has it been, about 7 years?” Ellie chuckled. “You certainly look good.”

Patrick laughed back. “You don’t look too bad yourself. So what’s the special occasion.” He nodded towards the table of girls admiring him and giggling to each other.

“Peggy got engaged. We’re out to celebrate.” Right on cue Marie called out to the assassin to hurry up with the drinks. “That reminds me. I need a round of drinks for all of us. I’m paying.”

Patrick pulled out two handfuls of tankards from under the bar. “Don’t worry, it’s on the house.”

“Pat, you don’t have to-”

“Eleanor, don’t fight me on this. It’s been 7 years since we last spoke and I’m gonna be here all night putting up with 6 drunk girls. Let me get you all started.” Ellie rolled her eyes and waited for him to fill up the drinks. After he finished she gathered them all in her arms, said a quick thanks, and slowly made her way to the table.

When she set them down on the table the girls immediately started commenting on the bartender. “Was that Patrick?” Peggy asked with a surprised expression.

“How old is he?” Grace interrupted.

“Is he single?” Marie shot with a devious smile.

“How do you know him?” Another girl added.

“Ladies! Slow down!” Ellie laughed. She grabbed the last tankard and sat down next to her sister. “His name is Patrick, we are old friends, before you ask I do not have any interest in him, I don’t know if he is single, and he’s a little older than I am.”

“Well,” Marie stated. “I certainly wouldn’t mind spending a night with him.” Her expression was full of lust over the Irishman. The other girls all laughed at her but Ellie just stared uncomfortably into her rum.

“What about that soldier you met last week?” Grace asked.

“Oh, turns out he wasn’t that fun. He only wanted me once before tossing me aside.” She earned a few consolendences from the group but brushed them off. “Don’t worry, I’m not upset.”

One of the other girls spoke up. “Mark surprised me with dinner last night. Truth be told, it wasn’t all that good. But it was such a sweet gesture of him that I couldn’t be mad.” Another burst of laughter from the girls.

They went on talking about their current loves for close to two hours. A majority of that was the girls poking and prodding at Peggy to talk about her new finance. They had some fun trying to get Ellie to spill some information on her love life. All the assassin could manage was a deep blush that flushed across her face and inaudible stuttering.

Soon a decent amount of people had populated the tavern. A couple provided music by playing the fiddle and singing. Peggy’s group of friends were all completely drunk and dancing to the music for the exception of the newly-engaged herself.

Ellie stood by the tavern’s window, staring up at the clear night sky above. Her nearly full tankard of rum sat abandoned at the table as she got lost in her thoughts. “Hey,” Peggy said as she approached her sister. “Everything okay?”

Ellie released a deep sigh. “Yeah… I don’t know. I’ve just been thinking about things. About Connor and I.”

Peggy’s voice was filled with panic. “Is everything alright between you two?”

The younger woman quickly interjected. “Yes. Connor is amazing. I couldn’t be happier. I just…” She trailed off to think. “I don’t know where this is going. Don’t get me wrong, he is an  _ amazing _ person, I just don’t know how this is going to play out. We’re assassins. We are trained to hunt and kill and fight, love doesn’t really work well with those traits.” She looked down at her feet.

“Well what do you know? How do you feel about him?”

“I know I feel something. I know that he is the sweetest person I’ve ever come in contact with, which is not something anyone would expect from his appearance. He’s so gentle and caring and is so incredibly selfless. It is amazing. I know that when we kissed for the first time, I never wanted it to end. That had to have been the happiest moment of my life.” At this point a smile had formed on her lips. A matching blush was once again creeping up her neck.

“To me it sounds like you’re in love. I think I would know, too.”

“You honestly think so?” Peggy nodded with a small smirk. Ellie looked up at the star-filled sky. “Maybe I am.”


	10. Norris - July 20, 1774

The assassins were up soon after sunrise to get an early start on the list of tasks to be completed around the Homestead. Ellie departed for Myriam’s camp to help her skin and clean pelts to be delivered to Ellen. Connor took care of the daily trading orders before making his rounds through the Homestead in search for anyone in need of help. His first stop after leaving the Manor was Norris.

“Connor!” The miner said when the assassin grew into his field of view.

Connor stopped walking a few feet in front of him. “Hello Norris.”

“You know Miriam, correct?”

“Of course.”

“Do you know what she likes? I want to give her a gift.”

“I do not know. Ellie might be of service. I can ask her.”

“Thank you my friend.”

Ellie was at the farm helping Prudence with the daily chores that needed completed while Warren tended to the crops. She saw Connor approaching and a grin spread across her face. “Why hello Connor. What brings you here?”

“I am in need of some advice.” He began wringing out his hands.

Ellie set the basket down on the ground next to her. “What can I help you with?”

“Norris is trying to court… a woman. What do- you- women like… in terms of gifts?” The assassin reached up and scratched the back of his neck as he tried, but failed, to hide the growing blush.

She thought for a moment. “A bundle of wildflowers could make me smile any day. Who is it that Norris has interest in?”

“It is best not to say at this time.”

“Alright. The prettiest flowers are atop of the cliff overlooking the Homestead. I’d say to grab a lot of the purple ones. They smell the best and are great for pressing.”

“Thank you for your help.” He leaned down and placed a quick kiss on Ellie’s cheek before departing, which caused a deep rose to spread across her face. Prudence laughed at the young woman’s embarrassment.

“It is quite obvious that you two have strong feelings for each other.” She said as she continued hanging clothes up to dry.

Ellie sighed. “I know. I just don’t want to rush things or make Connor uncomfortable. Especially since it is not easy to be in love and be an assassin.”

“Well do not wait too long, my dear. Connor is too precious a person to lose. Keep him close.”

The following morning Connor met with Norris. “Good morning Norris. How did Myriam react to her gift?”

“Bad news. She did not like the flowers. She tossed them aside.”

“But Ellie was certain.”

“I knew Myriam was not the type for flowers.”

“I will uncover this mystery myself, Norris.”

The miner sighed. “Alright. But please don’t let her see you. She will think I’m bizarre.” Just as the assassin turned to leave he saw Ellie approaching him with a basket. He walked to meet her in the middle of the path.

“Hello Connor. How did things go with the woman Norris has interest in?” She readjusted the weaved item on her hip.

“Myriam did not like the flowers. I need to find a better gift.”

“I knew it was her! Well now I wish you had told me. She is not the type of person you would think to give flowers to as a sign of love. However, I think I have an idea that might be useful. When I was helping her skin game yesterday I noticed her knife broke halfway through. I know she would love a new one.”

Connor thought it over for a moment. “It is something she would appreciate and use. I will let Norris know. Thank you again.”

“I’m glad to help. Oh, could you give these to Norris for me?” She held out the basket which was filled with pieces of lumber that Norris wanted from Terry and Godfrey.

He accepted the basket and hooked an arm around it. “I will see you later tonight at the Manor.”

They said their goodbyes and Connor made his way back to Norris. “That was quick. Did you have any luck?”  
“Ellie told me that her hunting knife had broken. She might appreciate a new one.”

“Ah oui?” He nodded. “That seems more right for her. I’ll think on it. Merci!”

After finishing his last errand for the day, Connor decided to take a longer way of getting back to the Manor. He made his way up the large cliff overlooking the settlement and searched for just the right thing. The assassin picked handfuls of wildflowers- blues, pinks, yellows, but mostly purples. A piece of rope tied around the large bundle kept them together as he tucked them into his robes. Connor took his time as he climbed down the rocks, careful not to crush the flowers. 

The sun was just beginning to set on the horizon when he got home. Okwaho ran to greet him as he closed the door. The dog jumped on Connor and barked- his way of welcoming the assassin back. Okwaho earned a hello and a stomach rub before Connor walked into the kitchen.

Ellie was working on the evening’s meal. She was deep in conversation with Achilles who sat in the dining room with a cup of tea, just like always. The tall figure leaned against the doorframe and watched the woman before him prepare dinner. She cut carrot into perfect circles and the deer meat was already cut into strips and cooking over the fire. Every move she made was so effortless.

He didn’t realize he was lost in thought until she spoke up.

“Connor? Hello, are you there?” She started waving at him with a smile on her face.

“What? Oh, uh…” He stepped off the wall and walked awkwardly over to her. “I… got you these.” He pulled the bundle of fresh wildflowers out from his robes and extended them out to Ellie. 

She accepted the gift without hesitation and smelled them. “This is so sweet of you, Connor. Thank you so much.”

He scratched at the back of his neck before clearing his throat. “Y-You’re welcome. I will be upstairs if you need me.” With that he raced upstairs, desperate to hide his burning face.

Achilles chuckled from the other room at Connor’s behavior. Ellie looked down at the flowers in her hand and felt her smile grow even more. There were more purple flowers than any other color. Her favorite.

“He remembered.”


	11. Prison - June 25, 1776

Connor and Ellie stood in the basement of the Manor discussing their plans for the next attack. “How fares the hunt, you two?” Achilles called as he approached the pair of assassins.

Ellie crossed her arms over her chest and sighed. “There is progress but I don’t think it will be enough.”

“You must strike where you need it most. What if you pursued Charles Lee and Haytham - what then of Paul Revere? The soldiers at Lexington?”

Connor cut him off angrily. “Soldiers? There were no soldiers in those towns - only men and women who were forced to defend themselves.”

He wasn’t wrong.

“Is this not why you fight?” His words were now directed at the taller assassin. “To protect your people? Your struggle is the colonist’s struggle. In helping one you help the other.”

As Achilles walked away, Ellie could see the man next to her tense up. “Connor..” she warned. Before she could stop him he was already storming off after the old man.

“Encouraging words from one who thought mine a fool’s errand.” There it was. She ran her hands over her face and shook her head. The atmosphere in the room changed right that second.

“Make no mistake- I still do. But I can't help but feel some pride in your success.”

“And why should I give you any credit?"

Achilles' voice became bitter after this. "Then don't. But first, return the robe. And the blades. And the darts. And all of the years of training and knowledge I have bestowed upon you. Return these and then your words may have some merit." He continued his trek up the stairs as he spoke.

Connor began to chase after him, jumping up the steps two at a time. "Connor please don’t do this!" Ellie pleaded after him. The two men had been arguing more and more these days and she hated it.

"Or you could just admit that you were wrong." His words were now dripping with hatred. Ellie smacked a hand against her forehead and trudged up the steps after them.

"Oh child, please. You've killed two men - one more salesmen than soldier. You're going to have to try a lot harder than that to impress me."

She attempted to put her hand on his arm to stop him, but he ignored it. "Is that so, old man? Or perhaps we should step outside? I will gladly demonstrate how easily I could trounce-" Connor stopped in the middle of his sentence. His tanned face was flushed scarlet and he looked down at his feet.

"I tried to warn you," Ellie said with a slight smile as she appeared at his side. Achilles was standing in the dining room while drinking tea with an unfamiliar man.

“Connor, Eleanor, this is Benjamin Tallmadge . His father was one of us, no need for secrecy. I think he has something he wants to say.”

Benjamin put his teacup down on the table before he spoke. "Achilles tells me you uncovered a plot to murder the Commander in Chief."

Ellie spoke up while Connor found his words. “Yes. But we have only false starts and dead ends to show for it."

"Not anymore, my friends. Thomas Hickey's your man - and I aim to help you catch him."

“How?”

“I'll explain on the way. We,” he gestured to the two assassins, “are going to New York."

“It will be a long journey. Roughly a day on horseback.” Ellie piped up.

“Then we must leave at once.” Connor lead them out of the Manor and to the stables. They each mounted a horse and departed for the far off city.

The two arrived at New York about a day and a half later. Ellie’s hood was down to expose her skin to the sun, allowing her freckles to stand out even more. The light wind made the small bits of hair that hadn’t made it her bun flow around her. Connor couldn’t help but steal glances every now and again.

“Have you been here before?” He asked as they rode up to the city’s gate.

“Yes, but not in years.” Ellie replied with a smile as she took in her surroundings. “I came here when I was little with my family. We only stayed a day or so. Mother had business to take care of with the Assassins so Father showed Peggy and me around the city. We spent most of the day at the docks looking at the coming and going ships.”

Ellie felt tears forming in her eyes and stopped herself. She missed how happy her life was before the templars and the war. She missed being innocent.

“Sorry, I’m rambling again.” She laughed, trying to change the subject.

Connor sensed her shift in attitude and helped get her mind off of the painful memory. “Benjamin Tallmadge said he would be meeting with us when we arrive. I see him ahead of us.” They rode to where Benjamin stood next to a horse. He was looking around for them as they rode up.

“Ah, just in time! Let us be off.” He mounted his horse and lead them into the city.

“So what is your stake in all this?” Connor asked the man ahead of them.

“Same as yours. Peace. Stability. A land in which all might live side by side- free and equal.”

Ellie’s thoughts wandered while they rode although she still tried to listen in. She couldn’t help but notice how different the city was. While New York reminded her of Boston, it seemed to lack a certain charm the busier city had. This placed seemed dirtier. There were more homeless or sick people on the streets and there was always a group of redcoats in her sight.

It was nothing like how she remembered it.

Her mind snapped back to the present situation when she noticed herself blocking out the conversation around her. “What can you tell us of Thomas Hickey?.” Connor asked Benjamin.

“He has been running a counterfeiting ring in the city. Locate the source of his operation, and we can have him arrested. He cannot harm the Commander if he is in prison.”

“Do you know where he is?” Connor asked.

“Not exactly. But I have an idea where we can begin the search.” The trio dismounted their horses and crossed the street to a market. “There are rumors of bad bills circulated here. No doubt they come from Thomas.” Benjamin’s voice was low so only the two assassin’s could hear. They heard a merchant yelling at a customer who was using false currency and slipped on their hoods. Connor waited for the man to get a reasonable distance away from them and began tailing him. Ellie followed closely.

They ducked into alleys, blended into groups of citizens, and took to the trees for a short while. It was going smoothly until their target became suspicious. He stopped and looked to either side before turning around completely. Ellie panicked. They were out in the open and it was clear they had been following him. Acting almost on instinct, she grabbed Connor’s face and crashed their lips together. The taller figure was thrown entirely off guard. “Go with it,” she mumbled into his lips.

His body relaxed and he backed his fellow assassin into the brick wall behind them. His hands rested on either side of her head. The kiss pressed on a few more seconds before Ellie shot a glance out to her left. “Connor,” she mumbled, trying to push the taller man off of her. “Connor. We’re good. He’s walking.”

He pulled back from Ellie, a red blush covering his face. “Sorry,” was all he could manage.

“Let’s go. We can’t let him get too far.”

The two eventually found themselves at a printer’s shop that was being used as Hickey’s base of operation. Ellie nodded at the door and Connor got into a running stance. He ran forward, putting all of his weight onto his left shoulder as it plunged through the door. The man who was inside the doorway fell to the ground. There was no doubt he was unconscious if not dead.

“Wot’s this?” The man standing behind the wooden table called out.

"Thomas Hickey?" Ellie hissed.

The men around the table seemed to stiffen at the mention of that name. The same man spoke up again. "Might be. What's it to ya?"

Connor stepped forward and popped out his hidden blade- his signature way of intimidating an opponent.

“Ain't s'pposed to be none of your kind left. Suppose I'd best be rectifyin' that, then. Get 'im!” He pushed passed the man in front of him and ran out the establishment’s front door.

“Go, Connor! I’ve got this!” Ellie yelled as she shoved her hidden blade into one of the men’s throats. Connor didn’t hesitate to obey her orders and jumped out the window after Hickey.

The other man that was left drew a sword and stood in a fighting stance. “Okay. You wanna dance? _Let’s dance._ ” She pulled her sword from its sheath and extended the blade. He acted just as she predicted- lunging forward at the first opportunity he had. She countered his move with ease and drove her blade through his stomach. The assassin pulled it back out, watched him fall limply to the ground, and returned her weapon to the sheath. She made her way over to the door and listened for a clue as to where Connor had gone. Luckily for her, she saw Hickey sprint by two streets over. She put her head down and ran as fast her legs allowed over to the target. When she caught up to him Connor had Hickey pinned against the wall by his jacket. He had wasted no time in getting him talking. She let her legs walk the final 30 feet to the two men.

“Washington's the only thing keeping the Continental Army together. You kill him - and you end all hope for freedom.” Connor hissed.

Hickey chuckled. “Wrong, boy-o. Wit 'im gone, they'd have no choice but to promote Lee. And then-”

He was cut off by a soldier separating the two of them. “You are both under arrest.” Ellie jumped behind the wooden fence and peered around to watch.

“Ah well, we were just havin' a scrap, officer! Ain't nuttin' wrong with two men settlin' their differences the ol' fashi'n way. Can't we come to-”

Connor’s sharp voice cut him off. “Quiet! What are the charges?”

“Counterfeiting.” The soldier said matter-of-factly.

“I had nothing to do with that.”

The other man rolled his eyes. “Course not.”

“Listen - there are more important things at stake here. This man is planning to-” The soldier cut the assassin off by punching him in the face. Ellie gasped and immediately threw a hand up over her mouth. She hid behind the fence, praying they wouldn’t come near her. Connor’s body fell to the ground with a thud and she felt her heart sink.

She waited until the soldiers left before getting up and running to the nearest horse. The assassin mounted and spurred the animal as much as possible. Ellie didn’t know what to do, but she did know one thing.

She needed to get Connor back.


	12. Hanging - June 28, 1776

Ellie ran into the manor crying. Her feet immediately took her into the dining room. Achilles was sitting at the large table reading the newspaper. "Achilles!" She croaked out. He saw her expression and stood up as fast as his body allowed.

"Calm down, girl. Take a breath and collect your thoughts." He placed a hand on her shoulder as she tried to steady her breathing. "What is the matter?" His tone was firm but concerned. He had never seen her cry like this before, so something must had been wrong.

Ellie took a deep breath and wiped her tears away with the back of her hand. "It's Connor,” she managed to choke out.

“Is he alright?”

Ellie shook her head. “When we were in New York Connor and I were chasing after Hickey. But some guards found the two of them and took them off to the prison. There wasn’t anything I could do to stop them!" She was starting to cry again. “Achilles we have to do something! I can’t let him die!” She managed in between sobs.

He paused for a moment to think. “Call on your group of recruits. I may have an idea of what to do.” She nodded and wiped her face. Her eyes were still red and puffy and her cheeks were tear-stained. She had to do this and be strong. For not only her sake, but for Connor’s.

The assassins worked for hours gathering information and figuring out a plan. Benjamin Tallmadge arrived shortly after their meeting began with news of Connor’s trial. Ellie’s heart sank. Knowing the Templars this would turn out to be more than just a simple trial.

Achilles and Ellie left early the next morning. The recruits had left hours before them to ensure everything would go smoothly and to gather any additional information. Ellie’s nerves were threatening to take over during the long journey. Her mind only wanted to focus on the worst possible scenarios of what was to come.

She thought about the possibility of Connor dying and her breath hitched in her throat. She refused to let the tears that began to well up fall. 

_ You need to stay strong. No more crying. _

Ellie ran a hand down her face. She had been going almost 3 days on no sleep and it was beginning to get to her. A quick nap sounded amazing at this current moment but she would not allow herself to sleep. Not until this situation was taken care of. Her grip tightened on the horse reins and urged the animal to pull the carriage faster.

Ellie could feel her body tense as they entered New York. A harsh rainstorm was coming in as they rode through the city. From the small amount of remaining sunlight it seemed to be midday, right around the time of Connor’s trial. They had to play this right to make the plan go smoothly. She pulled the carriage into an alley just outside of the town square. The recruits met with her as she helped Achilles out of the carriage. There were three men in front of her, all with the same look on their faces. Nerves.

“There was a change of plans.” Stephane said. His voice was hesitant. None of the men had experienced Ellie get upset first hand, but they have heard what it is like. Some describe it to be like a gunshot. Quick attack, lots of pain, close to no time to realize what had happened. Everyone who had seen it, however, said it was scary.

“Of course there was. Why am I even surprised?” Ellie scoffed. She could feel anger boiling inside of her but knew now was not the time to take it out on the men who could do nothing to change the situation. She crossed her arms over her chest. “What’s the plan?”

“Connor is to be hanged from the gallows. He is being transported to the square right now.”

Ellie let out a breath of air. “Okay. Clipper and Duncan are going to take to the roof tops. Clear any guards who might interfere. I’ll need a clear line of fire to cut that rope. Stephane, you are on the ground. Make sure no one sees us. Eliminate them if so. We need to make sure Connor gets out of this alive.” The three men around her nodded and started to head off.

“Oh!” Stephane reached up to grab something off of his horse. “You might want these.” He handed her Connor’s bow, quiver, and tomahawk before running off. 

“Wait, how did you get these?” She yelled after him. He didn’t respond and she stood there looking at the objects in her hands.

Achilles took the tomahawk from her hands. “I will give him this. They no doubt stripped him of his robes and blade at Bridewell.”

Ellie pulled the quiver over her body. The strap was still adjusted to fit Connor’s chest size as it nearly fell off of her shoulders. She tightened the buckle until it was flesh against her robes. The bow slipped over her shoulder above the quiver and she departed from Achilles. Her feet lead her around the buildings to the left of the gallows. A large crowd had gathered and were beginning to get rowdy. Connor must have arrived.

Ellie climbed up one of the buildings slowly. Her grip had to be adjusted constantly so she didn’t slip from the rain. As she got to the roof Duncan was taking down a guard. She gave him a nod of appreciation and watched him jump down from the building. She picked a spot on the edge of the roof to sit. It gave her a clear shot of gallows.

She listened as Charles Lee gave his speech about what Connor has been blamed for. It took all of the strength in her not to shoot an arrow through his neck right then and there. “Oh shut up you half-witted lobcock.” Elle said through gritted teeth as she pulled Connor’s bow off of her shoulder. Her fingers fished an arrow from the quiver and lined it up with her opposite hand. 

“You need to be relaxed.” Connor’s voice whispered in her mind. The memory of their hunting lesson years ago became fresh in her mind. She remembered his hands guiding hers to hold the bow properly. She remembered him saying words of encouragement when she came close to giving up.

Ellie let out the breath she didn’t notice she was holding in. She raised the bow to be eye-level and drew back the string. “Relax.” Connor’s voice repeated to her.

Lee’s voice echoed through the otherwise silent town square. “And thus, we are compelled by justice to send him from this world. May God have mercy on your soul.” Time seemed to slow within the next few seconds. Just as the wooden floor dropped out from under Connor’s feet, he signaled the assassins. The familiar eagle cry rang out over the execution scene. Ellie’s finger’s released the arrow and she watched as it cascaded down to the rope.

It didn’t fully break. She could tell Connor felt some relief of pressure on his neck, seeing as his body fell just a little more, but he still hung there struggling for his life. Just as Ellie reached for another arrow she saw a metal object fly through the crowd.

It severed the remaining rope and Connor dropped down to his feet, staggering slightly. She eagerly scanned the crowd for a source of the knife. None of the other assassins were given the order to cut the noose except for her. Ellie picked out Haytham, who was still facing the gallows, despite the rest of the audience running away. There appeared to be a faint trace of fear on his face.

It couldn’t have been him. Could it?

Ellie watched as Achilles gave Connor his tomahawk and sent him off. There were two guards coming towards him as he ran for Hickey. She pulled another arrow from the quiver and readied a shot. Her fingers raised the bow to be lined up with one of the guards. She let the shot go and cursed when it missed by a foot. “Dammit.” She groaned, getting another arrow. This time it nailed the guard in the forehead, knocking him back just as he went to swing his musket.

Ellie grabbed an arrow and lined it up, this time much quicker than before. Again the arrow missed. “Stop moving you shits!” She yelled, knowing full well it wouldn’t help at all. Her brows furrowed together as she tried again. The final arrow caught the second guard in the chest. He dropped his weapon and clutched his wound as he fell.

Connor kept going directly for Hickey. The bigger man countered the other’s hit and grabbed him by the collar. With one swing the tomahawk collided with his chest. The impact pushed both of the men to the ground.

Ellie put the bow back over her shoulder and let out a deep breath of air. She had a horrible habit of forgetting to breathe during battles or intense moments. Her left hand ran down her hand as she sighed.

“You did it. He’s okay,” she said to herself as she tried to calm down. Her heart was beating a million miles a minute from the previous events. After fully regaining her composure she got to her feet and climbed down from the building.

Connor was talking with Israel Putnam as the woman walked towards them. “He is still in danger. Hickey did not act alone.” The assassin’s voice was stern and focused.

“Connor?” Ellie called. He turned to find the source of the voice. She smiled at him, tears forming in her eyes. He started walking towards her. It took only seconds for them to both pick up speed and run to close the space between them. Connor bent down slightly, scooping Ellie up in his arms. Her arms wrapped around his neck while his held her waist to his stomach. She cried into his shoulder, clinging onto his body in fear of losing him again.

Her tears weren’t sad. They were happy, relieved tears. The kind you cry when you get to see the love of your life again. When you save the love of your life from death.

Ellie pulled back from Connor’s shoulder and he set her down. “Oh my god, Connor.” She said with a smile. His calloused hand reached up and brushed the tears from her cheeks with his thumb. “You have no idea how terrifying these last few days have been for me.” The tears had stopped flowing but her eyes remained red and glassy. “You had me worried sick.”

“I am okay and we stopped Hickey. Now we must get to Philadelphia to warn Commander Washington.”

“Connor, you almost died just now. And your face is so beat up.” She raised a hand to his eye and lightly touched the purple and red bruise. He winced from the contact and she withdrew her hand. “You need to rest and get patched up.”

“I am fine. We have more important matters to-”

“Your health comes first before a mission. I can’t risk losing you again.”

The click of Achilles’ cane against the stone street caused them both to turn to their lefts. “Let us get back to the Manor. We need to start planning our next move.”

“Commander Washington has gone to Philadelphia. We need to speak with him.” Connor felt Ellie give him a glare and sighed. “After returning to the Homestead.” Achilles nodded and began walking towards the carriage him and Ellie arrived in.

“Keep up, you two. We don’t have all day.” Ellie stifled a laugh and followed, Connor close behind.


	13. Gifts - July 19, 1776

It was barely past sunrise when Connor awoke. He opened his eyes and blinked several times in an attempt to adjust to the bright window light. Two large hands rubbed the sleep from his eyes and he sat up. He let out a loud yawn, one that no doubt resembled a bear growl, and stretched as his back cracked. Connor trudged his way down to the kitchen. He ran a hand through his hair, which was now let out of its usual style, to brush a few pieces from his face.

Ellie was standing next to the counter with a steaming teapot in her right hand. Three cups were sitting on the counter; a plain white one that was used by Achilles, Ellie’s blue cup with yellow lilies, and another white one with minimal red detailing. The last one was rarely used as Connor was not a big fan of tea.

“Good morning sleepyhead. Want some tea?” Ellie’s cheery voice rang out. She was fully dressed in her robes with her hair pulled into a tight bun at the base of her neck. It always amazed Connor how she was able to love mornings so much. Then again, she did hate being awake late at night. 

Connor mumbled in agreement as he leaned against the counter. He grabbed an apple from the basket that sat in the middle of the wooden surface and took a bite.

Ellie slid his cup over to him as she worked on getting her own drink perfect. Connor watched attentively as he took sips of the hot liquid. He had come to notice that she had a system of making her tea perfect. The drink required exactly two spoonfuls of sugar and had to be stirred five times. Her brows narrowed and bottom lip slipped between her teeth, a small act that occurred when she was focused.

Just as she took a sip from her drink Achilles had emerged from his own room. “I hope you were planning on waiting to inform me of today’s tasks before you set off.” The old man made his way to the pair and picked up his own cup.

Ellie chuckled. “Well now that you’re up I suppose I have no other choice. I have things that need to be done in Boston. Supplies for the Aquila need to be picked up and I have a meeting with Stephane and Duncan.”

Connor chimed in, his voice still rough from sleeping. “Tomorrow is your birthday. You should not be working but instead making preparations for such a special occasion.”

Ellie sighed. “I wish that was possible. If I do not complete these tasks today they will never be done. I can worry about my birthday after this is taken care of.”

Connor awkwardly scratched at the back of his neck. “If you accept my offer I can accompany you to Boston.” 

She smiled in return. “That would be lovely.” Ellie took a sip of tea and cleared her throat . “If you are coming with me please be ready soon. I’d like to leave within the hour to get this meeting over with as soon as possible.” She walked down to the basement to grab weapons with her teacup in hand.

Achilles waited until she was out of earshot before speaking again. “You mentioned it was her birthday. Are you planning something, boy?” The old man gave him a questioning look.

“Yes I am.” His voice was low and he leaned towards Achilles. “Ellie is putting too much work on herself. She has been trying to take over every order of business since we arrived back from New York. I am worried for her. She is in need of a break.”

“So you want to do something nice for her tomorrow.” Achilles caught on. “I know someone who can help you. Her sister, Margaret, lives in Boston. You remember her, correct?”

“Yes. She helps the brotherhood with information and visits every Christmas for dinner.”

“Yes, that is her. While Eleanor is handling her business you should meet with Margaret. She shouldn’t be too difficult to find. If she isn’t in the markets you can find her at the seamstress.”

“Thank you Achilles.” Connor downed the last of his tea and walked to the basement.

Ellie slid her sword into the sheath as Connor entered the basement. She grabbed his bow and quiver from the table and exited the room. He was putting on his robes as she rounded the corner. She looked up at him and couldn't help but stifle a giggle.

He looked down at her with confusion as he put on his hidden blade. “What?”

She smiled. “Your hair is still a mess.”

Connor showed no sign of embarrassment except for the amber blush that had taken over his cheeks. He had completely forgotten about his hair.

“I could fix it for you... if you want.”

He nodded. “Thank you, Ellie.”

“Of course. Now go sit down.” He pulled a chair from the corner of the room and sat. Ellie ran her fingers through his hair in amazement. He had never let anyone touch his hair until now and she was surprised at how thick and soft it was. It felt like a curtain of silk. Even though it was shorter than her’s he no doubt had more hair than she did.

She ran her fingers through it several times to comb out the knots. Her fingers would occasionally get tangled in the dark brown locks and she would pull slightly, hoping to God she wasn't hurting Connor. Every time she tugged she would mumble several words of apology, to which Connor immediately forgave.

After several moments of hair pulling and aggravation, Connor’s hair had been returned to the normal state of his usual half ponytail. Ellie finished adding the eagle feather that his hair primarily hid and stepped back to admire her work. It was actually quite nice if she did say so herself. “Alright, you can move now.” 

Connor’s hands went to his hair on instinct. He pulled on the hairstyle with one hand and smoothed out the strands with the other. He fidgeted with it for a few seconds to get it to be comfortable and stood up. Ellie grabbed the last of her equipment and they set off for Boston.

Boston was busy with people. Every merchant table in the market had a small crowd around it and the docks were overflowing with people seeking or returning from passage. The only areas of the city that wasn’t bursting to the seams was the taverns. That was simply because it was still morning; only the usual drunks and businessmen having meetings were inside at this hour. 

Their carriage stopped just outside of The Green Dragon tavern. Connor jumped down from his seat and jogged around to the other side. He extended his hand and Ellie took it graciously and with a smile. She pulled her hood down and turned to look at the man before her. “Would you like to join me? The meeting shouldn’t last too long and I’m sure Stephane and Duncan wouldn’t mind having you. We’re just discussing plans for taking down some areas of New York-”

“Ellie.” Connor cut her off. Her voice was gradually picking up speed and they could both tell she was about to start rambling. “It is fine. Take your time with the meeting. I have matters to attend to while we are here.”

She sighed in defeat. “Okay. But be back here soon. I don’t plan for this to last more than an hour or so.”

Connor smiled at her behind his hood. “I will be back in an hour.” Ellie stood on her tiptoes and placed a quick kiss on his cheek. Before he had time to react she had disappeared into the building. He was left flustered with a huge grin across his face.

Connor turned and started walking towards the seamstress. It was a small shop at the end of the markets, leading out to the docks. It was a better idea to look for Margaret there before having to scour the large crowds at the markets in search of her. He turned the doorknob and opened the wooden door before stepping inside. As he made his way to the counter a small woman with her hair twisted under a bonnet stepped out of the back room. She looked exasperated, desperately in search of something behind the counter. Her mind didn’t even acknowledge the man before her until Connor spoke up. “Are you Margaret Price?” 

Her eyes immediately shot up. “Oh goodness! I didn’t even see you there, Connor, I’m so sorry!” She stood up and smoothed her dress. “And how many times do I have to keep telling you to call me Peggy?” Connor mumbled an apology and she laughed. “Don’t fret, it was only a joke. What can I do for you?”

“Eleanor’s birthday is tomorrow. I would like to do something nice for her but I am in need of your assistance. However I only have an hour so we would need to leave soon.”

“That is so sweet of you, I’d be happy to help. I was actually just getting ready to leave for an errand anyway. Now just let me find…” Peggy turned around and scoured the shelves. She dragged her finger across the wooden surfaces before pulling down a roll of brown paper. “There you are! Now just give me a minute or so to wrap this order and then we can depart.”

“Take your time. I will wait outside.” Connor waited for her to exit to the back room before walking out of the shop. He leaned against the brick wall and thought about what to do for Ellie. Having a small party at the Homestead’s tavern might not be a bad idea. The residents love get togethers and spending time with each other, especially when it means free drinks, so they will without a doubt be excited. It may be last minute but if everyone works together it can be done.

Peggy pulled him from his thoughts when she closed the seamstress’ door behind her. “So where to first?” She adjusted the basket she was holding so that it sat in the crook of her elbow.

“That is where I require your assistance. I would like to get her a gift and plan a party at the Homestead.”

Peggy finished for him. “So you want me to help you find the perfect gift for her.” 

Connor nodded in reply. “If you would not mind.”

“I would love to and I’m very flattered. Now let us be off. Our first stop should be the bakery.”

Connor pushed off of the wall and began walking with the woman at his side. “If you do not mind me asking, why did you suggest the baker?”

She laughed. “Connor, you’ve known my sister for six years now. I’m surprised you haven’t noticed her massive sweet tooth. Surely she still leaves her room late at night and finds a treat to satisfy her cravings.”

“I have not. Ellie retires to her own room hours before I do.”

“Well knowing that girl she probably still does. She perfected the art of sneaking, though, so not even a bloodhound could hear her footsteps.”

They arrived at the bakery and Connor instinctively pulled the door open. He let Peggy in first before following her inside. The shop smelled delicious; sweet yet salty with thousands of spices mixing together. Connor could immediately pick out cinnamon, the spice Ellie always used when making holiday pies with Prudence. The manor would smell like baked apples and spice for days at a time. Any time he noticed the scent it brought a smile to his face, even if it be a faint one, as it made him think of her.

A large man wiping his hands on a rag exited from the back room. “Is that Margaret Price or is my vision truly failing me?”

Peggy let out a laugh. “Good day, James. The trousers you sent in are finished.” She set the basket on top of the counter and pulled out the brown paper package. The baker took it from her hands and set it on a table behind him.

“I get the feeling that you are here for more than to just deliver my order. What can I do for you?”

“My sister’s birthday is soon and we wanted to get her something special. Do you happen to have any of the cherry tartes left? She absolutely adores them.”

“As a matter of fact, I do. Baked a fresh batch of them only an hour ago. Anything else I should grab?”

Connor spoke up. “Apple pie, if you have made any. Ellie loves it.”

James scratched at the stubble on his chin. “I believe so. However I’ll have to check. Just give me a moment.”

He disappeared into the back room and Peggy turned towards the man beside her. “How long has Ellie enjoyed apple pie? She despised it when we were children.”

“I was not aware. She makes it several times a year with Prudence and is very happy when she can eat it.”

“I guess opinions and preferences change as you mature.”

The baker emerged from the shop’s hidden room with two items in his hands. In the left was a cloth that was gathered at all ends and tied with a piece of string. His right was balancing a pie with a similar piece of cloth draped over the top. “You’re in luck,” he said while setting the two objects into Peggy’s basket. “There was one pie left from this morning’s batch. There's a dozen tartes in that cloth as well.”

Connor immediately grabbed his bag of coins. “How much will this cost?”

“Not to worry, sir. I think a few baked goods is a fair trade for hemmed trousers.”

Peggy smiled. “Thank you very much, James. I owe you for this.”

“I’m sure my wife will be needing a dress altered soon enough. Have a good day!”

“To you as well,” Connor replied politely. The two turned and left the shop, in search of their next destination. Connor looked towards Peggy after shutting the bakery’s door. “What shop should we visit next?”

“I think that should be for you to decide. Is there anything in particular that you know Ellie would appreciate?”

He thought for a moment. “I will pick flowers for her when I return to the Homestead. Although she might enjoy a new sword. She has been looking at a particular one, of French design I believe, from the general store.”

“Then I believe we’ve just found our next stop. Let’s be off.” Peggy set off down the dirt street, her blue dress flowing in the breeze behind her. Connor trudged along, his mind wandering to ideas for the night’s celebrations. He would need to ask Corrine if the inn would be available and for a barrel of ale to be ready for the guests. A visit to Prudence and Warren would need to be paid to ask for a few dishes to be prepared. Hopefully it would not seem too last minute. 

Connor and Peggy stopped in front of the general store. The crowds were beginning to disperse, making navigating the markets easier. They entered the shop, Connor holding the door and allowing Peggy to go in first. “Good day. What are you in need of today?” The man behind the counter greeted them as the door shut. 

Peggy wore her usual warm smile. “We are looking for a sword. One of French design.” 

“A rapier, I believe.” Connor cut in. He pronounced the foreign word perfectly, surely a sign of Ellie’s constant mention of the weapon.

“I have just the one.” The shopkeeper ducked into his back room for a short moment before emerging with the sword in hand.

Connor could see why Ellie had taken a liking to it. The sword had a beautifully designed pattern on the hult, with a thin blade that was long and sharpened to a point. It was elegant but still deadly enough to kill with one swing; a perfect symbol of it’s future owner. Connor paid for the item and slipped it into his usually empty sheath. Swords were not his weapon of choice, but if he was lucky Ellie would simply overlook the fact that he carried one.

As they left the shop Peggy remembered she was not given all the time in the world and that she must be returning to her work. Connor thanked her for assisting him and took the basket of goods from her hands. He set off towards the Green Dragon to hide the gifts in their carriage. 

As he was shutting the carriage’s door Ellie appeared outside of the tavern. “Good timing then, I suppose. Only pleasant thing to come out of fighting that ass.”

Connor’s eyes immediately widened. “You did  _ what? _ ”

Ellie pulled a handkerchief out of her pocket and began dabbing at blood on her knuckles. “Some piss-drunk bloke tried to smooth talk me. After I politely refused he became aggressive and touchy, so I slammed his nose into the table.” She paused her movements for a moment. “Looking back on it, I’m actually very surprised he wasn’t intimidated by all of my weapons that could kill him in a million different ways.”

“You are not hurt any worse than your hand? He did not harm you anywhere else?” Her fellow assassin was overcome by a mix of emotions. He was boiling with rage that this had happened but also worried that Ellie was badly injured in a way he could not see.

She looked up at him with sympathetic eyes. “Connor, I am fine. I just need to get this cleaned up, which will not take long. I have a bag of supplies in the back of the carriage.” Just as she stepped forward Connor stopped her. 

“N-no no, it is fine. Allow me to help.” He was doing a horrible job of hiding the nervousness in his voice, and the blush on his cheeks was not helping. Ellie eyed his suspiciously for a brief moment before letting him continue.

Connor grabbed the bag quickly before she could see what was hidden in the carriage and fixed up her hand. The two made themselves comfortable on the front of the carriage and headed back to the Homestead. 


	14. Birthday - July 20, 1776

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, it really has been almost two years since I’ve updated anything on Ao3, let alone this fic. Thank you to everyone who has stuck with me during my break. I have a lot of plans for this fic that I hope you all enjoy.

The morning started off unusual from the moment Ellie woke up. By the time she managed to pull herself from the warm, knitted sheets the sun was high in the sky and she had already wasted several hours of daytime.

“Damn, how long was I asleep?” she yawned, putting a hand over her mouth to restain the sound. Ellie tossed the blankets aside and stepped out of her room. She could hear the sound of muffled voices arguing and various things being moved. Cautiously, she tiptoed down the wooden staircase, avoiding the creaky spot towards the bottom.

After making a left into the dining room Ellie discovered that it was just Connor, Peggy, and Myriam all crowded around the kitchen table. “Well good morning to all of you,” she said with confusion in her voice.

The group looked up quickly and tried to casually hide whatever they were working on from her. “Oh, Ellie, I did not hear you wake. I had been wondering why you were still in bed at this time of day.” Connor had to admit that he was thankful for Ellie sleeping in. It gave them much needed time to plan her last-minute surprise party that everyone in the Homestead was working on. While he attempted to take control of the situation, he closely resembled a child who was caught sneaking treats before dinner. He had those innocent puppy eyes that Ellie couldn’t say no to and repeatedly rung his hands out while trying to think- an act that she had grown accustomed to seeing.

“I just woke up, in fact. For some reason I slept in even though I was not tired when I went to bed last night.” She walked around them, not sparing a glance towards the table they were surrounding. If there was something she wasn’t supposed to see she would respect their privacy and not try to invade no matter how curious she was. “Don’t worry, I’m not here to poke and prod. I just want my tea and then I’ll be down at the docks for most of the day. I need to make sure the Aquila’s upgrades are finished and order more supplies.”

Three pairs of eyes burned into her as they closely watched her move about the kitchen. She got down her cup from the lowest shelf, filled it with the hot liquid and went about her routine of adding sugar and stirring. All of them waited until they could no longer hear her footsteps going down to the basement before speaking.

Myriam let out a breath that she didn’t realize she was holding. “That was too close for comfort. What if she heard something? The surprise could be ruined-”

“Myriam,” Peggy interjected, “I am sure we will be fine. If she truly wanted to find out what we were doing she would have asked. But now we have a solution to one of our problems. We don’t have to worry about keeping her busy for the rest of the day until everything is set up.” She swiped a quick check mark onto the list she had in front of her. “Alright, Corrine and Oliver said that The Mile’s End is fully stocked with enough rum for tonight, and Prudence and Ellen are working on the feast.” Two more check marks. “Also, they have asked for you two to hunt one or two turkeys for them as well.”

“Sounds easy enough, anything else?”

“Nope, Everything else is good! Now you two better get going before the birthday girl gets back up here.”

Connor and Miriam bid their farewells while Peggy got all of her papers together and organized. As the front door shut, Ellie appeared at the top of the steps. “Where did Miriam and Connor run off to?”

Peggy jumped at the sudden noise. “Good Lord, you scared me! But those two are going out hunting for Prudence.”

“Oh, I wish I had told them to get a turkey for dinner, but Connor will probably be home by the time I am done with my work. And before you can object, you are staying for dinner tonight.”

“Then I guess I’m staying. I’ll see you later.” Ellie said goodbye to her sister and made her way to the docks.

It was a very hot day on the homestead. The sky was clear and the sun beat down on the earth below, making Ellie begin to sweat within 3 minutes of being outside. She would need to finish her work at the docks as quickly as possible so she could get out of the sun and relax.

 

After only an hour and a half, Connor and Miriam had collected all of the meat they needed for the feast and had delivered it to Prudence and Ellen. As the two hunters were walking back to the Mile’s End, Miriam spoke up. “You know, Connor, it is very obvious that you deeply care for Ellie.”  
Connor was caught off-guard by that comment. “What do you mean?” He knew exactly what she meant, but he wanted her to prove that his feelings were, in fact, noticeable.

“The way you look at her is the same way Warren looks at Prudence, or how Norris looks at me.”

Anyone could see that Connor had strong feelings for Ellie just based on his expression when he was near her, not including the small things he did that others couldn’t see. He would bring her gifts, stay up late looking at the stars with her when she couldn’t sleep, and rubbing her back when she was falling asleep while leaning on his shoulder. He himself knew he deeply cared for her, but there was still a constant fear that she did not feel the same way.

“I suppose you are correct.”

“You should tell her how you feel.”

“I do not think that is a good idea. She may not return my feelings and I do not want to ruin our friendship.”

“I doubt that will happen. Just think it over, alright? You might want to act soon before some random fellow from Boston wins her over.” Despite Miriam’s joking tone, that last sentence stuck with Connor.

 

After finishing her work on the Aquila, Ellie made her way back up to the manor. She was tired, sweaty, and just wanted to relax so she ran a cold bath to cool off when she returned home. When she was fully cleaned up she changed into a plain, light purple dress and walked downstairs to begin cooking dinner.

Peggy was at the end of the steps waiting for her. “Connor said he wanted us to meet him down at the Mile’s End. Shall we be off?” Ellie nodded and they set off down the road. The sun was setting over the Homestead so the temperature was beginning to cool off, but the air was still a bit humid.

“Did Connor say why he wished to meet us?”

“He did not, but I’m guessing it’s important because he said to get there quickly.”

“Then we shouldn’t keep him waiting.”

 

* * *

   
“C-Connor, I gotta… I gotta tell you a seeecret,” Ellie slurred out with a goofy smile plastered on her face. Her legs wobbled the same as, if not more than, her voice.

“What would that be?” Connor asked as he held her firmly by the waist to prevent her from falling.

She hiccuped. “I love you. Soooo much. But ssshhhhhh! Don’t tell anyone,” Her voice was a whisper scream.

Connor couldn’t tell what happened faster: his eyes widening or his cheeks flushing bright red. He silently thanked the dim lighting in the inn that cast a shadow on most of his face.

“Y-you do?” He questioned, completely caught off guard by her statement.

Ellie’s smile grew even larger and she cupped both hands around his face. “Of course I do, silly! Would I do this if I didn’t?” She immediately started peppering the hot skin of his face with sloppy kisses, which only made him smile and blush even more. He let out a chuckle at the adorable act of her lips attacking him. Little did he know, Miriam and Peggy paused their conversation to take in the cute sight on the other side of the room.

“They are adorable,” Peggy said with a smile.

Miriam took a sipe from her ale. “I just wish he would court her already, everyone can see how much they care for each other.”

Peggy let out a sigh. “They are both very busy people, and their lives are not exactly danger-free.”

The woman next to her rolled her eyes. “No one these days lives a truly safe life.”

“Believe me, I want nothing more than to see my sister happy with a family of her own, but I truly don’t think now is the best time. Maybe sometime in the future, when the war is over and everything has calmed down.”

Connor broke apart their conversation when he approached them with Ellie hanging onto his arm for balance. “I think the party was a success, but we should be heading home.”

Peggy gave him a disappointed look. “You’ve only been here for a few hours! And she hasn’t even opened her gift from you.”

“Others have begun leaving already and I am sure the people staying are only doing so for the drink. The sooner Ellie arrives back home and goes to sleep, the better. And I should also wait until the morning when she is in a better state to give her the gift.”

Ellie was preoccupied with a loose thread on the bodice of her dress and was not listening to a word of what as being said. She only looked up when Connor leaned down and quietly asked if she was ready to go back to the manor to which she nodded in reply. They two bid everyone goodnight and Connor led Ellie, carefully, out of the inn and up the road.

The longer they walked, the dizzier and unsteady Ellie became. “Love, h-hold on,” she said with a wavering voice. One hand was wrapped around Connor’s bicep and the other was cradling her forehead. She felt light-headed and was not able to think straight.

Connor was so focused on making sure she kept her balance that he barely noticed the term of endearment Ellie used. “Are you alright? Can you walk?” When she mumbled a small ‘no’ he said, “I will help you back to the manor, okay?” He slid one arm around her back and the other behind her knees, picking her up bridal style. Her head rested against his chest and she closed her eyes in an attempt to stop the world around her from spinning.

Connor jogged the rest of the way up the road, careful not to toss Ellie around too much. He entered the house and took the steps two at a time up to his bedroom. He laid Ellie down on the bed and asked if there was anything she needed. “I thin-think I’m gonna be-“ her hands flew to her mouth before she could finish, but he knew what she was trying to say. He quickly found a small trash bin sitting on the floor and handed it to her. She wasted no time in emptying the contents of her stomach, and Connor held back the pieces of her hair that fell out of her bun.

When she had finished she held the bin in her lap and looked up at Connor. He could see tears running down her cheeks and he rubbed her back soothingly. “It is okay, you will feel better in the morning. Get some rest.”

She spoke up quietly. “Can you help me out of my dress?”

A crimson blush immediately crawled up his neck. “O-of course. Stand up.”

She used his outstretched hand as leverage and stood, concentrating on not falling more than anything.  
Connor unbuttoned the back of her dress and, with her back still too him, grabbed a shirt he had hanging over a chair. “Put your arms up.” She slid the sleeves down and put her arms up, making the dress pool around her ankles. He slid the shirt over her body, and it ended up looking like one of the regular night gowns she would wear to bed any other night.

Ellie crawled into the large bed and wrapped herself in the many layers of fur and fabric. Connor picked up the bin but when he went to leave the room, Ellie’s small voice stopped him. “Please don’t leave.”

His heart melted at her words. “I must go clean this and I will return. I will not be more than five minutes.” She watched him walk out of the room and felt her eyes become heavy. By the time she drifted into a light sleep

Connor had returned with his own robes shed and wearing a plain shirt and baggy pants. He slipped into the bed next to Ellie and she immediately snuggled closer to him, the two of them falling into a deep, peaceful sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> This be Esme! Y'all leave some comments! They're always welcome!


End file.
